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Health as a Principal Determinant of Economic Growth

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  • Zon, Adriaan van
  • Muysken, Joan

    (MERIT)

Abstract

For a long time economists have tended to ignore health as a relevant factor of production and important determinant of economic growth. The widely observed positive relationship between health expenditures and economic growth was considered the result of a strong positive income effect. However, gradually more and more economists have come to recognise that the relationship between health and economic growth is not only demand driven, but that health is also an important determinant of economic growth. The latter has mainly been recognised on the basis of empirical cross-country studies, starting for developing economies (see Strauss and Thomas, 1998, for an overview) and later also covering Western economies (Knowles and Owen, 1995; Barghava cs., 2001; McDonald and Roberts, 2002; Webber, 2002). However, until this day only few attempts have been made to present a coherent account of the causal links between health and economic growth....

Suggested Citation

  • Zon, Adriaan van & Muysken, Joan, 2003. "Health as a Principal Determinant of Economic Growth," Research Memorandum 024, Maastricht University, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:umamer:2003024
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    File URL: https://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/rmpdf/2003/rm2003-024.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Gong, Liutang & Li, Hongyi & Wang, Dihai, 2012. "Health investment, physical capital accumulation, and economic growth," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 1104-1119.
    2. Meysonnat, Aline & Muysken, Joan & Zon, Adriaan van, 2015. "Poverty traps: the neglected role of vitality," MERIT Working Papers 2015-052, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    3. LI, Hongyi & HUANG, Liang, 2009. "Health, education, and economic growth in China: Empirical findings and implications," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 374-387, September.
    4. Bai Yang, 2021. "Human Capital, Industrial Structure Upgrading and Economic Growth in China: A Literature Review," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 15(8), pages 1-59, July.
    5. Liutang Gong & Hongyi Li & Dihai Wang & Heng-fu Zou, 2010. "Health, Taxes, and Growth," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 11(1), pages 73-94, May.
    6. Dobrescu, Emilian, 2011. "Sectoral Structure and Economic Growth," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(3), pages 5-36, September.
    7. Dihai Wang & Heng-fu Zou, 2011. "The Fogel Approach to Health and Growth," CEMA Working Papers 520, China Economics and Management Academy, Central University of Finance and Economics.
    8. Lacheheb, Miloud & Med Nor, Norashidah & Baloch, Imdadullah, 2014. "Health Expenditure, education and Economic Growth in MENA Countries," MPRA Paper 60388, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Serdar Kurt, 2015. "Government Health Expenditures and Economic Growth: A Feder Ram Approach for the Case of Turkey," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 5(2), pages 441-447.

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